Carol Perkins commentary: Kids must come first, so search will go on

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Sunday March 10, 2013 7:21 AM

This has been a difficult time in the Columus City Schools’ history, and a time when we as an
organization and as publicly elected leaders have had to confront several internal and external
challenges.

Though we will absolutely not allow these challenges to go unchecked or unresolved, we also
cannot allow them to distract us from our mission: “To ensure that each student is highly educated,
prepared for leadership and service, and empowered for success as a citizen in a global community.”&
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I assure the Columbus community that each of us on the Board of Education takes our
responsibility of providing oversight of Columbus City Schools very seriously. We understand and
accept without reservation the responsibility that comes with being publicly elected members of
this board, and we realize the trust that the voters placed in us when they elected us into this
office.

While we as board members have differences in our philosophies, perspectives and approaches to
potential solutions, we stand as one body in our commitment to the children of Columbus and to the
Columbus community as a whole.

This commitment is the sole reason the board believes we cannot delay the hiring of a new
superintendent/CEO. The task of recruiting and selecting a highly qualified, visionary leader to
build upon the foundation laid by Gene Harris represents the most important decision the board has
to make as we look to the school district’s future.

Moving forward with the superintendent search is in no way a “snub” to Mayor Michael B. Coleman
or his Education Commission, as a recent
Dispatch headline indicated. Attracting and hiring a great superintendent/CEO is our job.
To do otherwise would be a snub of our electorate, our students, parents, staff and taxpayers who
deserve a sense of stability, the opportunity to heal and a path forward for Columbus City
Schools.

While we can appreciate Mayor Coleman and his Education Commission’s desire to seek an interim
superintendent/CEO rather than a permanent replacement, the board and the school district cannot
afford to tread water waiting for an indefinite period of time.

Quite simply, we seek a change agent willing to engage the community, build partnerships and
identify innovative and effective methods for managing the district’s resources and delivering
quality instruction to every student.

Visionary leaders are visionary leaders, regardless of the commission’s recommendations or the
other political interests at play. Our next superintendent/CEO must be able to collaborate with a
wide variety of stakeholders, including the Columbus Education Commission.

Let me be clear: The Columbus Board of Education is greatly appreciative of Mayor Coleman and
the Columbus Education Commission. The community conversation and focus on education is critical
for the future success of Columbus City Schools. We are willing partners. However, the board is
concerned about the commission’s interest in the future governance of the school district, as we
firmly believe that our voters should determine who will represent their interests.

This is not paranoia; this is the commission’s agenda. The Columbus Education Commission is
scheduled to discuss the topic at its March 21 meeting.

Standing up for the rights of residents to vote for a democratically elected school board is not
“small”; it is fundamental. We look forward to the recommendations of the commission, but make no
mistake that any recommendation that takes away the right of our district’s residents to elect
school-board members to manage the resources and operations of the district is non-negotiable.

Issues such as these serve as a distraction and create discord, negatively affecting both the
Board of Education and the Columbus Education Commission. This potential distraction is why the
board has sought clarification from the mayor and the commission regarding their desired role in
the future governance of our schools. These issues, combined with the ongoing attendance-data
investigation, could have a chilling effect on the board’s ability to attract the best possible
candidates for the next superintendent.

The board, Mayor Coleman and the Columbus Education Commission can take the steps to help
potential candidates overcome that uncertainty. If we work together to project excitement and
community support for the next superintendent, then we should be able to attract leaders who have
the skills, experience, knowledge and vision necessary to manage a district of great complexity —
and a district with a great potential for success.